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Shadout Mapes: This one's another boring, tedious draw, typical of Tal's play. Petrosian and Tal were such patzers, Petrosian was horrible at tournies and Tal only managed to keep the champ title for a year! Fortuanatly, they couldn't hide for long and Fischer eventually showed them who's boss.

Spitecheck: He may have only managed to keep it for a year Shadout (Tal that is) however considering his ill health and the fact that some world champs were lucky not to face a challenge for 3 years, one can hardly fault him. The guy's a magician. And he's one of the few guys that has made Bobby Fischer (and other players to reach olympus for that matter) look quite ordinary on occasion.

Eggman: I think that Shadout must indeed have been sarcastic, but let me point something out about Tal anyhow: he may indeed have been champion for only a year, but he was ranked number 2 in the world in January 1980, nearly 20 years after having won the title. To think of how it might have been if not for his bouts with ill health ... :(

tud: Tal was a miracle chess player and a chance for chess. He did not have a trainer as good as Furman was for Karpov or Bondarevski for Spasski, to tell him take care of his physical condition and love victories more than chess. It is a pitty that a 23 years genius got sick of tuberculosis and heart problems. I think it was in his genetical constitution. Look at Korchnoi at 70 after a life spent with cigarettes and wines.

Fast Gun: How about this the first comment about
this game for more than three years!!
This was Petrosian's first game with the white pieces against Tal in Ten attemps and yet he settles for a draw in only 12 moves. Surely he would have wanted to the best chance that he had to date to beat Tal for the first time by making full use of the white pieces? But no, detente was established after only 12 moves!!

zydeco: Petrosian had taken an early lead and probably didn't want to bother trying to grind down Tal. Tal may have been a bit nervous with Petrosian in great form to start the tournament. Interesting that these two gave each other such a wide berth -- probably a mark of respect. That being said, 8....Qb5 seems like an honest attempt to complicate. There's not a lot to play for in the final position.

dernier loup de T: I don't know what Petrosian expected exactly by playing so specially with White against Tal in this tournament...

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